Changes in the auditory system related to cerebral circulation in the Ukraine population after the Chernobyl disaster

Authors : V. V. Rimar (Kiev)

Ref. : Rev Laryngol Otol Rhinol 1999;120,2:89-92.

Article published in english

Summary :
The hearing and cerebral circulation was evaluated in 100 liquidators ranging from 23 to 50 years of age 1 year and 6 to 8 years after the disaster. Also, the hearing state data was compared from 80 liquidators of the same age dwelling in clean and radionuclide-contaminated areas for 5 to 8 years. The control group consisted of 20 young healthy individuals having no history of contact with radiation. Subjective audiometry, AEP and REG was used. Testing performed indicate that under radiation, more pronounced changes occur in the central part of the acoustic analyser rather than in its receptor system. More impaired were the persons residing the radionuclide-contaminated areas. The liquidators of the ChFS accident who live in clean areas presented with better state of the cerebral circulation and bioelectric brain activity. But over the time, the REG data 6-8 years after the disaster became considerably worse, as compared to the data obtained 1 year after the disaster. It should be emphasized that individual irradiated during and after the Chernobyl disaster require a constant dynamic observation and their identified changes require periodical management. Withdrawal of the liquidators from the contaminated to the clean areas is one of the preventive measures against the hearing and cerebral circulation disorders.